Take care of your hands
Taking care of your hands is important to keep them always hydrated, soft and beautiful. Undoubtedly an incomparable instrument in terms of communication and function, the hands are continuously subjected to the action of irritating and atmospheric agents, which undermine the integrity of the skin at any time.
Not to forget, then, that the hands reveal the age of a person (even before the face), consequently the care of hands and nails is always of fundamental importance to slow down the appearance of imperfections and imperfections.
Skin of the Hands
What are the characteristics of hand skin?
The skin of the hands has almost unique characteristics, very different from that of the face and any other area of the body:
- In the palms, the hands have a thick epidermis, characterized by furrows, ridges and free of hairs. Each palm is crossed by pleats, which inevitably form whenever the hand moves or flexes. Along the entire surface of the palm there are thousands of nerve receptors and sweat glands, very important for capturing any thermal stimulus, whether irritating or otherwise.
- In the fingertips you can notice concentric circles that go to form the so-called fingerprints (or dermatoglyphics).
- At the level of the back, the thickness of the skin is medium, neither too thick like that of the sole of the foot, nor too thin like that of the eye contour.
Hands and related problems
The hands, without a doubt, are among the parts of the body most exposed to external aggressions, since there is no work or activity that does not foresee its use.
For this reason, the hands are constantly exposed to the action of atmospheric agents and to contact with different types of substances that can irritate and damage them.
Moreover, unlike the other parts of the body, the hands are (rightly) washed very often, over and over again a day.
The fundamental problem is that we tend not to pay attention to the composition of the detergent, thus risking using products that are strongly degreasing and irritating to the skin of the hands, which is already sensitive in itself.
In doing so, the natural hydrolipidic film that covers the epidermis is gradually damaged. With damage to the hydrolipidic film that coats the skin, the hands are weakened and particularly sensitive to external aggressions, because their natural defensive barrier has been compromised. This situation - in addition to the scarcity of natural moisturizing factors and sebaceous glands - makes the skin of the hands subject to cracking and redness.
Furthermore, as mentioned, the hands are permanently in contact with atmospheric agents because they are rarely covered with gloves or other protective clothing. The UV rays of the sun and the action of the wind alter the integrity of the supporting fibers of the dermis: in addition to depleting the hydrolipidic film, the combined action of these elements can sometimes cause the accumulation of melanin pigment in some limited areas of the skin, laying the foundations for the formation of skin spots in the hands.
How to Take Care of Hands
In light of what has been said so far, we can say that hand care starts already with cleansing.
Cleansing your hands is, in fact, a gesture of fundamental importance for your health, but it must be performed correctly and with the right products in order not to damage the skin and the delicate hydro-lipid film that covers it.
All this, of course, is not enough. In fact - exactly as it happens for the skin of the body and face - even the skin of the hands needs to be constantly hydrated, nourished and protected through the use of suitable cosmetics, in such a way as to provide it with all the elements it needs to rebalance the skin barrier function, thus preventing the signs of premature aging, skin blemishes, cracks and redness.
Not surprisingly, a gentle cleansing and careful hydration of the skin are the two golden rules for hand care.
Cleansing
As mentioned, cleansing your hands properly is important to keep your skin in good condition.
Also the washing method is important to take care of the hands: for this purpose, we recommend:
- Use lukewarm running water and mild soap, rubbing all the surfaces of the hands, including wrists, palms, back, fingers and space below the free edge of the nails.
- After rubbing your hands for at least 20 seconds, you can proceed with the normal rinse.
- To complete the procedure, it is recommended to dry your hands perfectly with a soft towel. Many people tend to skip this last step, which turns out to be essential to keep the skin smooth and soft as long as possible. In fact, a non-optimal drying could, in the long run, cause dryness and cracking of the hands.
Hydration, Nourishment and Protection
For hand care it is necessary to regularly apply moisturizing, nourishing and protective creams on the skin: the regular use of these products is important not only to nourish the skin of the hands, but also to maintain the hydrolipidic film intact and avoid altering the natural skin barrier function. To this end, we recommend specific products for the hands, formulated with glycerin, sericin (silk protein), allantoin, antioxidant vitamins, panthenol and butters and natural oils (shea butter, Argan oil, coconut oil, olive oil) avocado, etc.).
Hand Disorders
Leaving aside the disorders of the hands caused by basic pathological conditions, among the skin problems particularly felt by the population we find dry, red, chapped or stained hands.
The main characteristics of these disturbances will be briefly illustrated below.
Reddened hands
Reddened hands can be the result of frequent washing with aggressive products, or the consequence of temperature changes. These factors predispose the skin of the hands to redness and irritation, often accompanied by burning, a tingling sensation and itching. The hands reddened, hot and dry to the touch, have obvious cracks and redness, such as to make them extremely sensitive to external aggressions.
Care of reddened hands
It is important to take care of reddened hands by choosing products that can restore the altered hydrolipidic film, and at the same time reduce the sensations of tingling and heat. Deeply nourishing and emollient creams are preferred, made with natural substances such as panthenol, allantoin, glycerin and chamomile extracts
Dry hands
Dry hands are often the expression of cosmetic treatments that are not suitable for your skin type, but not only. The dryness of the skin of the hands, in fact, can also be caused by exposure to atmospheric agents or by contact with aggressive substances (such as, for example, detergents for laundry, dishes, cleaning the house, etc.).
The color of dry hands is typically dull, graying; to the touch, the texture of the skin is irregular and, visually, the skin is very dehydrated. Dry hands, especially if they belong to an individual no longer young, can also be characterized by small sores or wrinkles.
Care of dry hands
Choosing the right cosmetics is essential for taking care of dry hands. To hydrate dehydrated skin and promote the healing of cracks (typical features of dry skin) creams or products made with more functional substances should be applied regularly to the hands:
- Moisturizers, to restore the water component of the skin.
- Emollients, to soften the hands.
- Occlusive, essential to create a film on the skin able to hinder or reduce the evaporation of water from the skin of the hands.
If your hands are so dry as to cause serious problems and discomfort, you can pamper the skin with intensive-acting masks (the most used functional ingredients are antioxidants, panthenol, ceramides and anti-aging substances).
Chapped hands
The causes that lead to cracking of the hands are similar to those that cause dryness (exposure to atmospheric agents of various types, contact with irritating substances, use of poor quality cosmetics, etc.) and are characterized by the presence of small cuts which they can bleed (bleedings) and cause pain.
To underline the fact that, often, chapped hands represent the consequence of a condition of dry hands not adequately treated or neglected.
Care of chapped hands
The care of chapped hands involves the use of cosmetics similar to those used for the treatment of dry hands.
Furthermore, in order to facilitate the healing of cracks it is good practice to use protective clothing, both to defend against atmospheric agents (wind and cold), and to avoid contact with irritating substances (detergents for dishes or clothes, cleaning products). home or other potentially irritating, aggressive or excessively degreasing substances).
Hands with spots
Dark spots on the skin are typical of the elderly skin disorder. This problem often tends to affect the skin of the face and hands, as a result of an uneven distribution of melanin, in turn favored by UV rays, smoke, pollution, hormonal changes or, in the most serious cases, metabolic disorders.
Hand care with spots
To improve the appearance of blemished hands, the most indicated cosmetic treatments are exfoliants and lighteners.
To care for blemish-free hands with exfoliating products, it is necessary to smooth the skin with specific functional ingredients: alpha and beta hydroxy acids are the most suitable.
For a more intensive treatment - with the advice of a dermatologist or an expert in the field - creams formulated with glycolic acid, arbutin, vitamin C and liquorice extract can be applied.
